PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C N Hudson

Publications and source records attributed to C N Hudson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

An audit of surgical treatment of ovarian cancer in a metropolitan health region. Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of the North East Thames Region.

The varied application of surgery to the initial treatment of 908 cases of primary ovarian cancer is analysed. In patients with advanced disease (FIGO Stages IIb, III and IV) 256 (46%) of 555 women achieved minimal residual disease status by primary surgery and this proportion fell to 24% when only stages III and IV were considered; of these cases 7% underwent adjunctive intestinal resection or urinary tract surgery. Although not in a clinical trial situation the women achieving minimal residual disease status before chemotherapy survived better in the short term, although long-term survival remained disappointing. In early disease 3% of young women have been subjected to hysterectomy and removal of both ovaries. By contrast, in 16% of women over the age of 40 years with early ovarian cancer bilateral oophorectomy was not carried out.

Adult↗

Unsuspected sphincter damage following childbirth revealed by anal endosonography.

Anal endosonography was performed in 62 consecutive patients with incontinence of flatus or faeces following obstetric trauma, and in 18 parous controls. Of the incontinent group, 90% had defects in the external sphincter, 65% in the internal sphincter and 44% disruption of the perineal body, compared with none of the controls. This triad of lesions is pathognomonic of obstetric trauma. Anal endosonography revealed a higher prevalence of sphincter damage than expected from anorectal physiology tests, and therefore has a role in screening patients following complicated or difficult deliveries.

Adult↗

The purification and development of a radioimmunoassay for beta-core fragment of human chorionic gonadotrophin in urine: application as a marker of gynaecological cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

The beta-core fragment of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) is a major part of the immunoreactive hCG-like material found in the urine of normal pregnant women. Patients with non-trophoblastic gynaecological malignancies have been found to have raised levels of urinary beta-core. We describe the purification of beta-core, the preparation of a polyclonal sheep antiserum and the development of radioimmunoassay. The minimum detection limit of this assay was 0.025 micrograms beta-core/l. There was no significant cross-reaction with the free alpha-subunit, hLH, hFSH and hTSH (less than 0.7%), and only partial cross-reaction with intact hCG and free beta-subunit of hCG (6.9 and 18%). Within-assay variability ranged from 2.03 to 12.5% and between-assay variability from 2.25 to 13.4%. The assay was applied to urine samples from 92 normal non-pregnant premenopausal women, 54 normal postmenopausal women and 65 women with active gynaecological disease (47 postmenopausal and 18 premenopausal). In normal premenopausal women the values ranged from less than 0.025 to 0.62 micrograms beta-core/l (median 0.043 micrograms beta-core/l). The values for normal postmenopausal women ranged from less than 0.025 to 0.64 micrograms beta-core/l (median 0.26 micrograms beta-core/l). Postmenopausal women with gynaecological malignancy had values which ranged from less than 0.025 to 4.0 micrograms/beta-core/l (median 0.31 micrograms beta-core/l); premenopausal women in this group had values which ranged from less than 0.025 to 1.15 micrograms beta-core/l (median 0.12 micrograms beta-core/l). On molecular sieve chromatography, the material found in the urine of normal postmenopausal women showed the physicochemical characteristics of authentic beta-core.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

A pilot study of chemo-radiotherapy in advanced carcinoma of the vulva.

Advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva (FIGO stages III and IV) has a poor cure rate even with exenterative surgery. We report a pilot study of combined pre-operative chemo-radiotherapy (CHT/RT) in all patients with advanced vulval carcinoma presenting to St Bartholomew's Hospital between July 1987 and March 1989. Twelve patients have been treated, of whom nine had primary lesions (four FIGO stage III and five stage IV) and three had recurrent disease after simple or radical vulvectomy. Seven patients were treated with an initial split course of CHT/RT: there was one treatment-related death and the others have all died following recurrence with a median disease-free survival of 5 months (range 3-12) and a median survival of 7 months (range 3-16). Five patients have received a continuous course of CHT/RT: one died before operation with pulmonary metastases, three patients are disease free at 6 to 9 months, and another patient has been treated with only palliative intent. Toxicity was acceptable in the continuous regimen and this treatment seems to have a promising role in the management of advanced carcinoma of the vulva. A review of the literature on combined therapy is presented.

Aged↗

A comparison of different methods for calculating overall risk scores from risk factors ascertained in a computerized obstetric information system.

Current obstetric risk-scoring systems depend upon simple addition of weighted or unweighted risk factors. In this study a population of 994 pregnant women (470 primiparae; 524 multiparae) has been examined in order to compare the use of weighted and unweighted risk scores, together with Bayes theorem, in estimating an overall risk score from the presence of individual risk factors. The findings have been related to fetal outcome in these pregnancies and expressed as receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves for different cutoff levels between normal and abnormal. In primiparae, the use of weighted risk factors, with or without Bayes theorem, was clearly superior to the use of unweighted factors. In multiparae there was only a marginal difference between the three approaches. The increasing use of computerised information system in antenatal care should make calculation of risk scores for every pregnant woman a practical option.

Adolescent↗

Antenatal testing for human immunodeficiency virus. Results from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' National Study of HIV Infection in Pregnancy.

Current policies on antenatal testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the main obstetric units of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland were surveyed by postal questionnaire; 294 of 299 units responded. HIV testing was available at 192 (65%) of the 294 units that responded. 414 HIV-positive pregnancies in 386 women were reported from 74 (25%) units. Most were from Scotland, the four Thames Regions, and Ireland. In 46% of the HIV-positive women the infection was identified by antenatal testing; the remainder had been tested previously and knew that they were infected. The findings support the view that selective antenatal testing should be established in areas where no testing is offered at present and possibly that testing should be offered to all pregnant women in high-prevalence areas.

Counseling↗

The relationship of steroid receptor expression to nuclear DNA distribution and clinicopathological characteristics in epithelial ovarian tumors.

Tumor specimens from 92 patients with ovarian carcinoma were analyzed for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), proliferative fraction, and ploidy. Seventy-one percent of tumors were either ER+ (greater than 5 fmole/mg protein) or PR+ (greater than 10 fmole/mg protein) with 27% of tumors overall being both ER+ and PR+. There was no significant relationship between receptor expression and stage, grade, or histological subtype. Thirteen percent of diploid tumors were receptor negative in contrast to 38% of aneuploid tumors (P less than 0.01). There was no significant association between ER status and ploidy, but 60% of diploid tumors were PR+ in contrast to 33% of aneuploid tumors (P less than 0.02). Eleven percent of tumors overall were both ER rich and PR rich and comprised 23% of diploid and 5% of aneuploid tumors (P less than 0.01). Receptor-negative tumors had a median S phase of 18.8% which was significantly higher than the median S phase of 12% in receptor-positive tumors (P less than 0.02). A similar analysis was also performed on specimens from 9 patients with borderline epithelial ovarian tumors and 12 with benign epithelial ovarian tumors. Up to 50% of benign and borderline epithelial tumors had measurable receptors, but all were diploid with a relatively low S phase fraction. The functional significance of steroid receptor expression in ovarian cancer is unclear, but the association with ploidy and proliferative activity particularly in patients with malignant ovarian tumors may allow better identification of prognostic subsets and aid in selection of patients for hormonal therapy.

Adult↗

Synchronous 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin-C and radiation therapy in the treatment of locally advanced carcinoma of the cervix.

Locally advanced carcinoma of the cervix has a poor prognosis with a high incidence of persistent or recurrent local disease contributing to distressing symptoms and poor survival. This has remained unaltered over the past 30 years in spite of the addition of other therapeutic modalities. Between 1983 and January 1986, 38 patients with locally advanced carcinoma of the cervix were treated with synchronous 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin-C, and radiotherapy. The results of this pilot study indicate both an improvement in pelvic control and in 3-year survival rate for the chemosensitized therapy compared to conventional radiotherapy alone (55% v 28%) using historical controls. Improved survival was only significant for bulky FIGO Stage IIb tumors. The toxicity of this combination was predominantly gastro-intestinal and led to modification of both radiation dose and technique with subsequent improvement in the incidence of side effects. The results suggest that the combination of synchronous chemotherapy with radiotherapy is an improved method of treatment for locally advanced carcinoma of the cervix and that a prospective randomized trial is now justified.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Chorioamnionitis: how useful is the determination of C-reactive protein?

This study was designed to derive the predictive value of C-reactive protein (CRP) in peripheral venous serum of patients admitted to hospital with suspected premature rupture of the membranes (PROM). CRP was assayed by each of 4 separate methods and the results have been compared for accuracy and practical value with respect to clinical outcome and the histopathology of the placenta. Of the 4 techniques used only the latex test had characteristics suitable for a diagnostic screen. While the results were only semiquantitative, when comparisons were made to other techniques no significant change in clinical diagnosis would have been made. The results have confirmed that chorioamnionitis and preterm labour are often associated, but in some instances the extent of inflammatory infiltration was greater than might have been expected from the short time interval between documented membrane rupture and delivery. Thus it may be speculated that some cases of PROM are secondary to, rather than causative of, infection. Finally it is suggested that a controlled therapeutic trial of active intervention in those cases of PROM with elevated CRP in the absence of other clinical parameters suggestive of intrauterine infection should be undertaken.

C-Reactive Protein↗

An evaluation of planned early postnatal transfer home with nursing support.

A community-based programme of planned early postnatal transfer home with the continuity of hospital nursing care was instituted in a defined geographic area of the western suburbs of Sydney in 1983. Mothers were offered the option of discharge in 24-48 hours after delivery, with home visits by a hospital midwife, subject to certain medical and social criteria. An evaluation of the programme in terms of morbidity, psychosocial impact on the family and costs was undertaken. For evaluation, a quasi-experimental study of parallel groups was designed in preference to randomized selection as it was believed that the personal choice would be fundamental to the success of the scheme. A contemporary control group was achieved with volunteer mothers who opted for the traditional five- to seven-day hospital stay. Studies of maternal response and the partner's response and adjustment were undertaken, including the administration of questionnaires that were designed to detect the presence of mild postnatal depression. No increased morbidity occurred in the early discharge group. The early discharge group performed more favourably on the questionnaire that was designed to measure their postpartum adjustment. Continued postnatal domiciliary surveillance reduces the risk that early neonatal pathological changes, especially jaundice, may be overlooked.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

AIDS and obstetrics.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Oncogene expression in ovarian cancer: a pilot study of c-myc oncoprotein in serous papillary ovarian cancer.

The nuclear-associated protein product of the c-myc gene, p62c-myc, was assayed simultaneously with total DNA using flow cytometry in nuclei extracted from archival biopsies of serous papillary carcinoma of the ovary. The oncoprotein was probed with a synthetic peptide-induced mouse monoclonal antibody which was subsequently labeled with a fluorescent rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin and DNA was assayed using the nucleic acid fluorochrome propidium iodide. Serous papillary ovarian carcinoma expressed significantly higher p62c-myc levels compared with normal ovary (P less than 0.00003 Mann-Whitney U test). Biopsies classified as "borderline" low-potential malignancy exhibited levels between normal ovary and carcinoma. The difference between normal and "borderline" was significant at P less than 0.003, but no difference between "borderline" and frankly invasive biopsies was observed, P = 0.149. There was no difference among the histological grades of carcinomas. All normal ovaries had diploid DNA content as did 5/6 cases of "borderline" malignancy. The majority of cases of carcinoma, 28/36, were aneuploid. There was a statistically significant difference in the distribution of aneuploidy, P less than 0.005, between invasive carcinomas and those classified as "borderline" low-potential malignancy.

Aneuploidy↗

Production of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) by cultured tumour granulosa cells.

Ten ovarian and 2 cervical tumour cell lines were analysed for the production of pregnancy-associated proteins. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) was detected by radioimmunoassay in culture media of 2 out of 4 (50%) tumour granulosa cell lines (mean = 104 microIU/10(5) cells/24 h) but not in any ovarian (n = 6) or cervical (n = 2) tumour cell lines. By contrast, human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), pregnancy specific beta 1-glycoprotein and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were not detected in any of the PAPP-A positive media. Only two cell lines produced hCG (58.5 and 25.5 mIU/10(5) cells/24 h). No AFP was produced by any of these 12 cell lines, whereas placental protein 5 was positive in 7. None of these proteins were detected in the culture media of 4 cell lines. In vitro derived PAPP-A was immunologically indistinguishable from either pregnancy or ovarian follicular PAPP-A. All PAPP-A species interacted reversibly with immobilised heparin and were determined by molecular sieve chromatography to have an apparent molecular weight of 820,000 daltons. Cultured tumour granulosa cells specifically synthesised and secreted a large protein which was immunologically and physicochemically indistinguishable from in vivo (pregnancy and ovarian follicular) derived PAPP-A.

Female↗